GEELONG, Australia (CMC) – Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood posted half centuries as West Indies amassed 303 for 8 on the first day of their two-day tour match against a Victoria X1 in Geelong on Saturday.

Brathwaite scored 78 from 175 deliveries in the first two sessions before retiring out to give the rest of his teammates a chance at the wicket at Simonds Stadium.

The West Indies opener struck nine fours as he continued from where he left off from his second innings score of 94 in the opening Test.

Brathwaite featured in a solid 68-run second-wicket stand with Marlon Samuels who struck an aggressive 45 from 39 balls including seven fours.

Blackwood compiled a well-played 69 to bolster his confidence after scoring a couple of ducks in the first Test.

The diminutive Jamaican batsman scored seven fours and a six and added 99 runs for the third wicket with Brathwaite before he was trapped lbw to leg spinner Jeremy Hart.

Hart picked up four wickets for 93 runs and was cleaning up the lower order in the final session, claiming the scalps of Jason Holder for nine, Carlos Brathwaite 4, and Jerome Taylor 4.

Shai Hope, who was not selected to open for the first Test, batted at number eight but only managed one before he was lbw while Denesh Ramdin finished unbeaten on 38 from 73 balls.

Earlier, opener Rajendra Chandrika scored 28 in an opening stand of 45 with Brathwaite as West Indian players braved temperatures, which peaked at 43.8C.

The two-day game is the only scheduled match for West Indies before the Boxing Day Test and their opponents are made of mostly players without first-class experience.